Year in Review - Monday
TODAY’S VERSE
Psalm 121:1b-2
Where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. (NIV)
Yesterday, Matt preached a message that has stayed with me—not just because it was timely, but because I know the man behind the message.
Matt and I met years ago in a Southland men’s Bible study I was leading. Neither of us knew then how intertwined our stories would become. What started as a weekly gathering around Scripture quickly grew into friendship—one marked by honesty, prayer, laughter, and real conversations.
At the time, Matt was working as a physical therapist. He loved his job and was great at it, but he also sensed God stirring something different. Over many conversations, I had the privilege of walking with him as he processed a call to ministry—asking questions, counting the cost, and trusting God. Later, when he stepped onto our church staff, that same posture of dependence never left him.
What I’ve seen up close is this: Matt is a man of high character. He’s a devoted husband and father. He leads sacrificially. And the message he preached yesterday is not something he merely teaches, it’s something he lives.
We live in a culture that rewards self-sufficiency. We’re taught to rely on ourselves, hustle harder, and prize independence. But Scripture reminds us that wisdom begins when we recognize our need for God.
That’s why a year-end review matters; not as a performance evaluation, but as a posture check. Are we living like we can do this on our own? Or are we becoming people who pause, reflect, and pray, acknowledging our deep dependence on the Father?
As we close out 2025 this week, we’ll end by sitting with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane—watching how He prays, how He surrenders His will, and how He models true dependence: “Not my will, but Yours be done.”
APPLICATION
Today, take a moment to pray honestly. Ask God to teach you what Matt reminded us of yesterday—that the strongest life is not the most independent one, but the one most deeply rooted in dependence on God.
PRAYER
God, remind me again how much I need You and Your church. Don’t let me waste my life running after independence; instead, help me see the invitation you’re offering to the good life: walking daily with You.
